The Petrolias family has been in the restaurant business in Pittsburgh since 1933. The family patriarch, James, opened the Smithfield Café that year amidst the Great Depression and developed a strong business that prospered through the war years and became a downtown icon at 639 Smithfield Street. In 1958 James’ son John, a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, took over the day to day operations from his father and expanded the business to include the three store fronts that it occupies today. The Smithfield’s motto as instilled by James and then by son John was and still is, “Treat each customer as if they were a guest in your own home, give them a good value for what you charge and they will continue to came back.”

James’ grandson, Jamie, had that lesson committed to memory both in theory and practice by the time he graduated the Culinary Institute of America in 1987. Before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Lehigh University Jamie worked whenever he could for his grandfather and father at the Smithfield Café in every facet of the business. Jamie took a wealth of practical experience and combined it with the greatest culinary education he could find and together with his father opened Jamie’s on the Square in November 1988.

Jamie’s on the Square achieved similar recognition as “The Lunch Spot” in Market Square during the 16 years it was operating. In the summer of 2004, Jamie’s on the Square closed it’s doors and moved in to the South Hills of Pittsburgh to the site of the once very popular Red Bull Inn at 3220 West Liberty Avenue on the Dormont and Mt. Lebanon border.

With this move Jamie’s more than doubled it’s capacity and offers free parking. With space to hold up to 200 people, Jamie’s Restaurant and Lounge is quickly becoming the South Hills’ “place to have a banquet.” Jamie’s also offers a comfortable and friendly atmosphere in their Lounge and frequently has live entertainment.